ORANGEBURG - "Pitch and catch" was in full effect during the effort of South Carolina State opposite Howard Saturday (Oct. 27), in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) outing, on Willie E. Jeffries Field.

Forced by the run-stop oriented visiting Bison (5-3, 4-2 MEAC) to utilize what turned out to be an effective, record setting aerial attack, Buddy Pough’s host Bulldogs, in a Homecoming battle, witnessed by 19,187 fans, kept hope of a winning season alive, as they improved their record to 4-5, 3-3, with a 41-23 rout of Gary Harrell’s hoofmen.

Facing a 3 point (7-10) deficit at the end of quarter number one, the "O" players, with quarterback Richard Cue directing the attack and supplemented by a bend but don’t break defense, spanked the visitors 20-0 in the second frame. And for all practical purposes the (eventual) overwhelming defeat was on.

While apparently sending a message to the enemy in the second quarter that defeat was not an option, Cue hooked up with wide receiver Lennel Elmore on a 40-yard scoring toss early and followed that up by connecting with WR Caleb Davis in a 20-yard "pitch and catch", for six, at the 2:16 mark of the aforementioned period. In between running back Jalen Simmons went untouched to paydirt from 20 yards out, with 5:37 left to play, in game-changing second quarter action.

During a special aerial show, which saw him "bring the curtains down" with numbers of 26-40-1, highlighted by four TD tosses, Cue set a S.C. State single-game passing record by totalling 417 yards. He broke the old mark, of 387, established by Brett Young versus Morgan State, in 2004.

And in his usual unassuming way, the Bulldogs No.1 field general opted to take his standard-setting accomplishment in stride.

"I’m happy for what I was able to do but I couldn’t do it without my teammates, on the line; especially my receivers. They’re the ones that really made it happen," said Cue, who hails from Florence (S. C.) "I just tried to do my best to help us win (the game).

"It was a good day for our passing game but all I was doing was taking what the defense gave me. But it helped that me and my receivers were together all game long. That was big for us."

Tyler McDonald concurred with Cue’s point of quarterback-receiver coordination, as a key factor.

"All game long we as receivers and Cue seem to be on the same page," said McDonald, who turned a simple 15 yard up and out catch into a dazzling 97-yard dash to the endzone with 10:36 remaining in fourth quarter play. "The fact that we as receivers were able to piggy back on each other (clearing out zones) really help, too.

"This was a game we had to have; and I’m just glad we went out and did what we had to do to win it."

Added left end Alex Glover, who helped anchor the Bulldogs resilient "D" unit, "We just came together as a team and got the job done. It wasn’t easy but we made the plays when we had to."

In assessing a win his Bulldogs had to have to keep alive salvaging the season, Buddy Pough cited big plays (on both sides of the ball), as key to the final outcome.

"We beat a tough Howard football team," deadpanned the S.C. State coach minutes after the final seconds had ticked off the stadium clock. "Looking back, you have to credit big plays. We came up with them at times in the game when we needed to.

Now we look forward to the next one, which will be a tough one against A&T (North Carolina A&T), in Greensboro."